Zechariah 8:9-17, Episcopal and Lutheran Traditions

9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong–you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the LORD of hosts. 10 For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one other. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts. 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.

14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you, when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, 15 so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid. 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD. (Zechariah 8:9-17, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from December 17, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the Third Sunday of Advent, Year Two), when comments were repeated from an E-mail sent December 19, 2003, for December 20, 2003:

As noted yesterday, in the second part of the reading for that day (Zech. 8:1-8), the tone changes, as the book moves toward the conclusion (today) of the first major section (chaps. 1-8; see comments for Monday of this week, Dec. 17, 2007 ). Zechariah alludes to prophecies of his contemporary, Haggai. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong–you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 8:9; cf. Hag. 1:6-11; 2:4-9, 15-19, refs. by Gregory Mobley, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Zech. 8:9, and by W. Sibley Towner, HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Zech 8:9-13). Haggai had both criticized the people for procrastination in rebuilding the temple, and given challenge and encouragement to Zerubbabel and the people to finish the work. Zechariah’s challenge gives some further reason for the delay. “For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one other” (v. 10). And Zechariah continues with the LORD’s promises. “But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts” (v. 11). The LORD promises peace, abundant harvest, and general blessings. “For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things” (v. 12). Their being cursed will be reversed to blessing. “Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong” (v. 13). Mobley suggests a comparison (on v. 13):“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:2-3; cf. Ben Zvi’s ref. to Gen. 12:12 [sic], rather vv. 2-3?). Towner says, “The exiled and dispersed Judah and Israel have been objects of hissing and cursing (see Jer. 25:18; Mic. 6:;16), but all that is to be reversed in a restoration era characterized by agricultural productivity and peace” (on v. 13).

Zechariah continues with an explanation of the LORD’s reversal with respect to Judah and Jerusalem. “For thus says the LORD of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you, when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid” (v. 14-15). On verse 14, Ben Zvi refers to his earlier comment on “He purposed” (Zech 1:6 NJPS ‘he planned to do’ NRSV), “He purposed may also be understood as ‘He considered [doing],’ thereby conveying a conditional element from the outset in God’s plans: If the (monarchic period) Israelites had heard their prophets, the punishment would not have come” (on Zech. 1:6; cf William L. Holladay, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, corrected ed., 1988, s.v. Mm1z!, zāmam). The LORD’s promise remains contingent upon the people’s righteous living. “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD” (vv. 16-17). Mobley suggest a comparison: “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another” (7:9-10, cross ref. by Mobley on 8:16-17; cf. Ben Zvi on 8:16-17, and my comments yesterday, Dec. 21, 2007).

Zechariah's news is good: "For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things" (Zech. 8:12). "I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid" (v. 15). God does have his expectations: "Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD" (vv. 16-17; Mobley ). Compare Micah’s admonition. “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; / and what does the LORD require of you / but to do justice, and to love kindness, / and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8). Of this verse Mobley says, “In this single sentence the prophet [Micah] sums up a century of brilliant prophecy; see Am. 5:21-24; Hos. 6:6; Isa. 1:11-17 (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Mic. 6, 8).

2 Samuel 7:18-29, Presbyterian Tradition

David’s Prayer in Response to Nathan’s Prophecy of his Everlasting Dynasty

18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD; you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come. May this be instruction for the people, O Lord GOD! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord GOD! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have wrought all this greatness, so that your servant may know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O LORD God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 Who is like your people, like Israel? Is there another nation on earth whose God went to redeem it as a people, and to make a name for himself, doing great and awesome things for them, by driving out before his people nations and their gods? 24 And you established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever; and you, O LORD, became their God. 25 And now, O LORD God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised. 26 Thus your name will be magnified forever in the saying, 'The LORD of hosts is God over Israel'; and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house'; therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; 29 now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you; for you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever." (2 Samuel 7:18-29, NRSV)

On August 7, 2007 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 3, Year One), comments were repeated with editing and supplement from December 22, 2005 (Thursday in the week of the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year Two); the revised comments are repeated here:

David now responds in prayer to the LORD’s promises, including that of an everlasting dynasty (2 Sam. 7:5-16) delivered by Nathan the prophet (v. 17). Steven L. McKenzie compares this prayer of David to “Solomon’s prayers in 1 Kings 3:6-9 and 8:22-53” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on 2 Sam. 7:18-29). We are first told that “Then King David went in and sat (wayyēšev) before the LORD” (v. 18a), which P. Kyle McCarter explains: “David went in (i.e. into the tent, 6:17; 7:2) and sat before the LORD (i.e., in front of the ark). But it was not customary to sit during prayer, so the meaning may be that David remained ‘before the Lord’ after others departed” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on 2 Sam. 7:18). “Who am I, O Lord GOD,” says David, and what is my house (beth = “family”), that you have brought me thus far?” (v. 18b). (For the four meanings of “house,” beth, in this chapter, see yesterday’s comments, Monday, August 6, 2007.) “David’s humility,” says Shimon Bar-Efrat, “is shared by other leaders in the Bible, including Moses (Exod. 3:11), Gideon (Judg. 6:15), and Saul (1 Sam. 9:21)” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 632, on 2 Sam. 7:18). “You [God] have spoken also of your servant’s house (dynasty) for a great while to come,” says David, noting the relevance of this promise as “instruction for the people” (v. 19). David is grateful, exclaiming, “And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord GOD!” (v. 20). “Because of your promise,” says David, continuing to address the LORD, “and according to your own heart, you have wrought all this greatness, so that your servant may know it” (v. 21). Bar-Efrat identifies the phrase, “this great thing” (NJPS, for “all this greatness” NRSV), as “the promise of a lasting dynasty” (Ibid., on v. 21). On the phrase, “According to your own heart,” McCarter says, “See 1 Sam. 13:14. The point is that the Lord has acted at his own initiative and not in response to some gesture by David, such as his offer to build a temple (see v. 2)” (op. cit., on v. 21).

David’s praise of the LORD continues, but McCarter sees this part as “An expansion of David’s prayer, replete with stereotypical language by the Deuteronomistic Historian . . . whose purpose was to incorporate the Lord’s benefaction toward the house of David into the larger context of his graciousness toward Israel as a whole” (on vv. 22-26). If there is noone like the LORD, says David (v. 22), there is also no nation like Israel, as David emphasizes by asking: “Who is like your people, like Israel? Is there another nation on earth whose God went to redeem it as a people, and to make a name for himself, doing great and awesome things for them, by driving out before his people nations and their gods?” (v. 23). “Redeemed,” says Bar-Efrat, pointing out the obvious, means “[the exodus] from slavery in Egypt,” and “[driving out]” means “from the land of Canaan,” or the conquest (on v. 23), “And you established your people Israel for yourself,” says David, “to be your people forever; and you, O LORD became their God” (v. 24; cf. Exod. 6:7 and Deut. 19:10-15, cited here by McKenzie).

David then turns to the LORD’s promises, calling upon him to do as he has promised: “And now, O LORD God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised” (v. 25). By keeping his promises to Israel, says David, the LORD’s own “name will be magnified forever in the saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel’; and the house of your servant David will be established before you’ ” (v. 26). David repeats the promise to him of a house. “For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house’ ” (v. 27a; cf. v. 11b). The promise gives David courage to pray with boldness, as he does here; “therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you” (v. 27b). “Your servant,” says McKenzie, is “a way of referring to oneself before a superior” (op. cit., on vv. 27-29). As his prayer draws to a close, David affirms the Lord in direct address, “And now, O Lord God (’^adōnāy YHWH), you (’attāh) are God (hā’^elōhîm)” (v. 28a), and he affirms the reliability of the Lord’s promise, for “your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant” (v. 28b). And David closes with a prayer for blessing, saying, “now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you; for you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever” (v. 29). As noted yesterday, the promise here of an everlasting dynasty has fueled Jewish messianic expectations and Christian eschatological hopes for Christ’s everlasting kingdom.

Revelation 6:1-17, Episcopal and Lutheran Traditions

Six of the Seven Seals

6 Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, "Come!" 2 I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.

3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, "Come!" 4 And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.

5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, "Come!" I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, 6 and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's pay, and three quarts of barley for a day's pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!"

7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, "Come!" 8 I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; 10 they cried out with a loud voice, "Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?" 11 They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and there came a great earthquake; the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:1-17, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated from the relevant portions of comments revised on November 1 and 2, 2007 (Thursday and Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One), including comments on Revelation 6:1-11 from comments on Revelation 5:11-6:11 of October 27, 2005 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One), and comments on Revelation 6:12-17 of October 28, 2005 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One).

After those in the heavenly throne room sing songs of praise to the Lamb (Rev. 5:11-14), he opens the seals. The first four have been called “seals of destruction” (Jean-Pierre Ruiz, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Rev. 6:1-8). When the Lamb opens the first seal, “one of the four living creatures [calls] out, as with a voice of thunder, ‘Come!’ ” (6:1). John then sees “a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer” (v. 2). This pattern repeats itself three times as the Lamb opens the next three seals and the three other living creatures in turn call out “Come!” (vv. 3, 5, 7). When the second seal is opened, “out [comes] another horse, bright red; its rider . . . permitted to take peace from the earth,” with the result “that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword” (v. 4). When the third seal is opened, “a black horse! and its rider emerge. The rider holds “a pair of scales in his hand” (v. 5), and John hears “what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s pay, and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!” (v. 6). Ruiz calls these prices “exorbitant . . . because of war and famine,” and adds, “The prohibition against harming the olive oil and the wine (neither olive trees nor grape vines are newly planted each year) suggests that the famine is limited” (on v. 6). At the opening of the fourth seal, John sees “a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him” (v. 8a). John adds that “they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth” (v. 8b). In the comments on Zechariah 1:7-17 of Monday (Oct. 29, 2007), we noted that these “four horsemen of the Apocalypse” echo the symbolism there of the “red, white and sorrel horses” (Zech. 1:8; cf. the vision of four chariots, 6:1-8).

Ruiz calls the next three seals “seals of judgment” (on Rev. 6:9-8:11), but notes an interlude (7:1-17) “between the sixth and seventh seals (on 7:1-17). When the fifth seal is opened, John sees “under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given” (v. 9). These martyrs cry out for “divine justice and retribution” (Ruiz, on vv. 9-11): “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” (v. 10). According to David E. Aune, the “cry for vengeance by the murdered righteous [is] modeled after petitions for justice directed to a king (1 Macc. 6:22-27) or to God (2 Macc. 8:2-4)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Rev. 6:10). In answer, the martyrs “were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed” (v. 11).

John sees the sixth seal opened (Rev. 6:12-17), which leads to “a great earthquake” and various cosmic catastrophes, for “the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale” (vv. 12-13). As John watches, “The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place” (v. 14). These visions are perhaps meant symbolically to “represent social upheavals and divine judgment on the Day of the Lord” (B. M. Metzger, NOAB, 2^nd ed., on vv. 12-14). In consequence of these upheavals, “Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains” (v. 15). All of these were “calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?: “vv. 16-17). Jean-Pierre Ruiz says, “All classes of society seek to escape from the wrath of God (Isa. 2:10, 19)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Rev. 6:15-17).

The promises for the faithful, presented in Revelation chapter 7, are noted above. It is worth remembering that God is in control through all of these experiences of judgment and destruction. It is the Lamb (Jesus Christ) who opens the seals and initiates these events.

Galatians 3:1-14, Presbyterian Tradition

Law or Faith (Cp Rom 4.1-25)

3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4 Did you experience so much for nothing?-if it really was for nothing. 5 Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

6 Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” 7 so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.” 9 For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” 12 But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”- 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:1-14, NRSV)

On January 25, 2007 (Thursday in the week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), comments were repeated from June 8, 2006 (Thursday in the week of Pentecost Sunday, Year Two) when comments were combined and revised from June 3, 2004 (Thursday of the week of Pentecost, Year Two) in an email sent June 2, 2004 for June 3-6), and from January 27, 2005 (Thursday of the week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One). Those interested may compare comments presented in the Archive for December 22, 2005 (Thursday in the week of the fourth Sunday in Advent, Year Two; the Presbyterian reading for Dec. 22):

The Book of Galatians has been analyzed as comparable to a lawyer’s speech in court (H. D. Betz, commentary). Betz sees the narrative portion, 1:13-2:14 as the background of the situation (the narratio in ancient rhetoric), 2:15-21 as a concise statement of the argument or thesis (the propositio), and chapters 3 and 4 as the arguments (probatio). Whether these technical terms from ancient legal rhetoric are necessary or not, it does appear that we have a series of arguments by which Paul seeks to defend his understanding of the gospel. In these three paragraphs Paul develops three arguments in support of his gospel. In reference to his first ministry in Galatia, when the people turned from paganism to accept his message, he asks, “Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?” (Gal. 3:2). Paul’s preaching, and the response of the Galatian people, were moved by the Spirit of God. Paul asks, “Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?” (v. 5). Their own experience should prove to them the value and sufficiency of Paul’s gospel.

The second argument uses Genesis 15:6; cf. Rom. 4:3, 16) to assert that Abraham’s “righteousness” was “reckoned to him” because he believed [episteusen] God,” that is, he had faith [pistis] in God (Gal. 3:6). This point is based on the promise to Abraham, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you” (v. 8, cf. Gen. 12:3; 18:18); and “The one who is righteous will live by faith” (v. 11, cf. Hab. 2:4). The appeal to Abraham is particularly apropos in refuting the Judaizers. Through a faith like Abraham’s, Gentiles become children of Abraham , who receive “the promise . . . to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’)” (Rom. 4:16-17, citing Gen. 17:10)

The third argument combines Deut. 27:26; Lev. 18:5; Hab. 2:4 (LXX) and Deut. 21:23 to show that “no one is justified before God by the law” (Gal. 3:11) , but Christ, who was hanged on a “tree,” that is, the cross, has become “a curse for us” (v. 13). In the climax of this series, “the tree in Deut. 21:23 is referred to Jesus’ cross” (Bruce M. Metzger, John Reumann, NOAB, 2^nd. ed., on Gal. 3:13). “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’–in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:13-14). So the promises to Abraham, including the first, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 13:3), are for the Galatian Gentile converts to Christ. Christ became “a curse for us . . . in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (v. 14).

Matthew 25:31-46, Episcopal and Lutheran Traditions

The Judgment of the Nations

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-46, NRSV)

On July 29, 2007 (the Sunday closest to July 27, Year One), comments combined material, some repeated from time to time, with some further editing from July 14, 2004, in an email sent July 12, 2004 for July 12-18, from July 24, 2005 (the Sunday closest to July 27, Year One), from December 17, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the third Sunday in Advent, Year Two), and from July 19, 2006 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 13, Year Two):

Following the Parables of the Ten Maidens (Mt. 25:1-13) and the Talents (vv. 14-30), Matthew presents the scene of judgment “when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and . . . sit[s] on the throne of his glory. “All the nations (ethnē, grammatically neuter, but often ‘Gentiles’) will be gathered before him, and he will separate people [literally ‘them,’ masculine plural] one from another [ap’ allēlōn], again, masculine plural].” For “all the nations,” J. Andrew Overman compares the same phrase in the Great Commission, “make disciples of all nations [panta ta ethnē], and suggests, “A better translation would be ‘all the people of the world’” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on v. 32). “For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10).

People will be separated “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (v. 32). “the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left” (v. 34). The king [Jesus] will commend one group and condemn the other for doing, or not doing, essentially the same things. “Come, you that are blessed by my Father,” he will say to the “sheep,” the ones at his right hand, “inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me” (vv. 34-39). The “sheep” will ask when they did these things. “Truly, I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (v. 40).

When he turns to those on his left hand, the “goats,” the opposite is true. What he says to the other group, and their response, is a negative mirror image of what he says to the first group. The other group has not done these things. They ask, “When was it that we [did not do these things]?” (v. 44), and the answer takes a similar form. They have not done it “to one of the least of these” (v. 45), and so “these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (v. 46). “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,” and so forth (vv. 41-44). They also ask, “When?” and the answer has the same form. “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me” (v. 45). The scene concludes with the separation of these from the righteous. “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (v. 46). Compare Jesus statement to the Jews in the discussion that follows his healing of the lame man, John 5:28-29, where Jesus says, “Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (Jn. 5:28-29; cf. also Mk. 8:38b; Mt. 16:27; Lk. 9:26b).

It is a sobering thought that the criterion is expressed in Matthew in terms of sins of omission, not brutal atrocities. But doesn’t our neglect of those less fortunate have something of the same effect? We can only be thankful for God’s grace and longsuffering! “For his steadfast love (mercy AV/KJV) endures forever” (the refrain in the second line of each of 26 verses in Ps. 136).

Luke 1:57-66, Presbyterian Tradition

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. (Luke 1:57-66, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from comments on Luke 1:57-68 from December 9, 2007 (the Second Sunday of Advent, Year Two–earlier this month).

The following comments are based on comments of December 4, 2005 (the Second Sunday of Advent, Year Two), and comments on Luke 1:57-66 from December 22, 2005 (Friday in the week of the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year Two), when comments were repeated from an E-mail sent December 22, 2003, for December 23, 2003.

Parents look forward to the child's first words, don't they? They marvel at simple expressions. But when an older man is struck dumb for a while, his later utterances may count as something of a miracle. But his first spoken words of which we know are the prophecy known as the Benedictus (Lk. 1:67-79. (The Benedictus is the reading for Friday in the week of the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year Two, which will be superceded by the Christmas week readings this year. For brief comments on the Benedictus, see the Archive for Friday, December 23, 2005.) So the birth of John the Baptist (Lk. 1:57) fulfills the promise made to Zechariah by the angel Gabriel while he was fulfilling his priestly duties in the temple (vv. 8-20). It completes the narrative which includes Elizabeth’s conception (v. 24) and the joy that she shared with Mary as “the child leaped in her womb” (v. 41).

Because Zechariah could not believe Gabriel's promise of the birth of John, he emerged from his service in the sanctuary unable to speak (Lk. 1:18-20). Later his first words were written, "His name is John" (v. 63). The act of writing this, it seems, opened his mouth and freed his tongue (v. 64). When the child was to be circumcised and named, “they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father” (v. 59). But the mother knew otherwise; the father, “mute, unable to speak,” because he did not believe Gabriel’s promise” (v. 20), wrote the name John on a writing tablet (v. 63). By this act he confirmed his faith and submission to God’s plan, “his mouth was opened . . . and he began to speak, praising God” (v. 64). The reading concludes with the opening lines of the Benedictus, one of a series of hymnic poems found in Luke’s Infancy Narratives (cf. the Magnificat, Lk. 1:46-55; the Benedictus, 1:67-79; the angels’ song, Gloria in excelsis, 2:14; and the Nunc dimittis, 2:29-32, each so named from the opening words in Latin).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net